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Dark Souls II - Graphics Comparison - PC Preview

I wish I was allowed to talk right now and irrefutably demonstrate just how ridiculous the idea that DS2 PC assets aren't improved over their console counterparts is.

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25th is going to be a very good day.
 

Durante

Member
What I can say is that no one will be able to complain about not having all the (technical) facts come release day.

More so than about any other PC port in history probably ;)
 
Btw, please don't take this as "It's the vertical slice".
It isn't

And I can't say any more. Probably said too much already. There will be an article.

As the man who made the first game go from mediocre port to beautiful your opinion is the one that matters most to me. Glad it so far seems to be a positive one. Also glad you got a chance to play it early. You deserve it.
 

KarmaCow

Member
Btw, please don't take this as "It's the vertical slice".
It isn't

And I can't say any more. Probably said too much already. There will be an article.

I wanted to ask what you meant by PC assets but that's fair. You're just making these two weeks even worse though. :p
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
I don't understand. Why wouldn't you be allowed to talk and say how cool the game is and hype it up? Seems like it's what they need now with all the "pre-order cancelled I'll wait for sales wah" saltiness. XD
 

Durante

Member
I just re-read the agreement I signed, and it's actually simpler to explain than I thought, because I can tell you that I'm working on an article about the technical aspects of Dark Souls II PC for PC Gamer.

And that's all I'll say (and can say) before the article.
 
Yep, the only difference is the contrast.
Apart from the pointless enlargement of those low res images, there are also differences in geometry, and the location is actually not structured in the same way: the area shown in the original footage has a source of light that's positioned in the ground area on the left, while in the retail game that section's geography is different, there's no flames and fire lizards on the ground level so they don't cast any light. Thus, the comparison is pointless. A fairer comparison is what you get when you take a few steps back in the retail game and see this:
Sorry for the shitty quality, I had to take a photo with the iPhone (there's in fact some processing on the image related to the camera app), but as you can see the point is the same as the gif I reposted: with simple processing you can acquire a similar result to the original footage, there's the same number of light sources and cast shadows.
 
Anyone thinking this won't just be a console port at 1080p, 60fps is dreaming. Am I right?

I think there is a lot of confusion about the difference between a console game ported to PC and a PC being held back because of a console port.

I think Dark Souls 2 is the second not the first.
 

Nethaniah

Member
I just re-read the agreement I signed, and it's actually simpler to explain than I thought, because I can tell you that I'm working on an article about the technical aspects of Dark Souls II PC for PC Gamer.

And that's all I'll say (and can say) before the article.

Please let include some food for 120Hz and Multi-monitor users.
 

LiK

Member
I just re-read the agreement I signed, and it's actually simpler to explain than I thought, because I can tell you that I'm working on an article about the technical aspects of Dark Souls II PC for PC Gamer.

And that's all I'll say (and can say) before the article.

Looking forward to this more than DF's analysis now!
 
I just re-read the agreement I signed, and it's actually simpler to explain than I thought, because I can tell you that I'm working on an article about the technical aspects of Dark Souls II PC for PC Gamer.

And that's all I'll say (and can say) before the article.

That's awesome. First PC gamer is running articles about CS maps with two of the communities best creators and now this. They are doing good work over there.
 

AkuMifune

Banned
I just re-read the agreement I signed, and it's actually simpler to explain than I thought, because I can tell you that I'm working on an article about the technical aspects of Dark Souls II PC for PC Gamer.

And that's all I'll say (and can say) before the article.

Sweet. Congrats. Really looking forward to the article even if half of it goes over my head. Don't forget to use small words now and then.
 

KarmaCow

Member
I just re-read the agreement I signed, and it's actually simpler to explain than I thought, because I can tell you that I'm working on an article about the technical aspects of Dark Souls II PC for PC Gamer.

And that's all I'll say (and can say) before the article.

Awesome, congrats dude!

I want to ask more but I'll just stop bugging you and wait for the article.
 

Frostburn

Member
I just re-read the agreement I signed, and it's actually simpler to explain than I thought, because I can tell you that I'm working on an article about the technical aspects of Dark Souls II PC for PC Gamer.

And that's all I'll say (and can say) before the article.

Nice, I'm hyped for the game and know it will be the best version to play that will be out for a while. Cool that they are getting you to work on the article and that you get to play it early as a result. Looking forward to your work.
 

Krakn3Dfx

Member
I wish I was allowed to talk right now and irrefutably demonstrate just how ridiculous the idea that DS2 PC assets aren't improved over their console counterparts is.

...

activity82svr.png

U5Rca.gif


Anyone still buying this deserves where this industry is headed. What a mess.

One of the most challenging, satisfying gaming experiences in the last decade, and people should decline because of some door trimming changes?

Have fun with that.
 
Anyone still buying this deserves where this industry is headed. What a mess.

This post is atrocious. Dark Souls is the best thing that happened to video games in a long time.

Better graphics would have been nice and all, but in the grand scheme of things are totally irrelevant.
 
I just re-read the agreement I signed, and it's actually simpler to explain than I thought, because I can tell you that I'm working on an article about the technical aspects of Dark Souls II PC for PC Gamer.

And that's all I'll say (and can say) before the article.
We need the article ASAP.
Anyone still buying this deserves where this industry is headed. What a mess.

Is this what you feel like?
oSWlWzw.gif
 
One of the most challenging, satisfying gaming experiences in the last decade, and people should decline because of some door trimming changes?

Have fun with that.

That were some pretty heavy "door trimming changes" and they bragged about the graphics of this game only to under-deliver.
We can never end this discussion.
 

Nzyme32

Member
What I can say is that no one will be able to complain about not having all the (technical) facts come release day.

More so than about any other PC port in history probably ;)

Excellent!! I look forward to it. And thanks for the effort if you are somehow involved?!
 
So I have completed one playthrough of Dark 2, and enjoyed it, and will play it again on PC. Still, I hope something can eventually be done mod-wise to alter the darkness to being closer to the pre-release media. That really was one of the most exciting prospective changes to me: to have the environment become as much of a threat as the enemies in it. This happened occasionally in Demon's and Dark 1 of course (
Latria, Defilement, Tomb of Giants, the basement in Anor Londo with Havel's Gear, et al.
), and indeed in Dark 2 (
Undead Crypt, The Gutter
), but the impression was strong to me that it would be more of an omnipresent aspect of Dark 2. As opposed to RegularSection01 -> RegularSection02 -> DarkSection01 -> RegularSection03 and so on, I was expecting each area to be sort of peppered with sections where a torch would be necessary (or at least very strongly recommended) - I think most people were, given the advertising that was done, and the emphasis on the darkness/torch gameplay mechanics. This was pretty obvious, I felt.

That design seems to very much exist in the release build of the game, but to little or no effect in regards to the perceived original idea of how it would affect the gameplay. Having played the network test build of the game, the example that springs to mind for me is the mansion in Hunstman's Copse. In the NWT, when you ran up to the mansion door and poked your head around, you saw nothing. No-thing. Darkness. Then an arrow hit you in the face, and a dude flew around the corner swinging a sword at you. Once you got out of line of sight of the unseen archer and dealt with the melee soldier, you walked inside and could only see the path you were currently walking around on. It was very Tomb of Giants in that regard, but with a different atmosphere. This is what I want, I told myself. But THEN, I realized that the boards over the windows to the left could be broken. Doing so lit up a good portion (I'd say a quarter or so) of the room, but still nowhere near enough to see what else might be lurking just a few feet underneath you - if anything. What an amazing touch! If THIS can happen, I wonder what else they'll come up with everywhere else in the game, as far as environmental factors affecting the gameplay. On the opposite end of the room from where the windows are located, there was (and still is) a sconce to light, which lit up another quarter or so of the room. Doing these two things made you feel much more comfortable navigating that area (especially given the huge pit in the middle of the room), but most importantly it felt like you'd sort of unlocked something, and accomplished something. Here's what this section looked like during the NWT:
And from another NWT playthrough, here's how interacting with the archer on the far side generally went - especially the first time:
Of course, this area and these events are still in the release build of the game - but with key differences. In particular:
In the context of not knowing how this went down in the NWT, it's just another dude standing there waiting for you, with a second guy waiting right around the corner to ambush you - a fairly common setup in the Souls games - which is fine. However, knowing how it was originally intended to go is why it's disappointing. Clearing this room now doesn't scratch the same accomplishment itch that it did before (Not to mention the fact that it's just flat out easier now than it was in the NWT - there are fewer enemies in the room now). There's not really a reason to have a torch out, or to light the sconce, or to break the boards over the windows, because you can just see what's in the entire room now. This is by no means the only instance of this type of situation in Dark 2, just the one I have the most vivid memory of because I was so psyched about discovering it.

Mainly I just wanted to put forth an example other than the recurring Forest of Fallen Giants hallway and Cardinal Tower shots. Also, there's no question in my mind that Dark 2 is still a fun and very challenging game (I wouldn't have even posted unless I cared at all), but it's blatantly missing a little something in its current form.

Also, as I'm posting this I see Durante's info above. Can't wait to read that article.
 
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